Don Szczur

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What an awesome experience. Great event. It was good to see so many folks from the past and make many new friends. Joseph was all over it, from testing Andrew Jesky's little AJ Slick electric, to sitting in the beast biplane cockpit , to flyinghelis with Justin Chi playing harmonica with the bluegrass band, to winning the Parkzone T28 in the IMAAraffle. The event has grown tremendously since just a few years ago. This is primarily enabled by DSM/2.4 Ghz systems that allow 5 different flight sites at the Hartness property. As you drive in to Triple Tree you see the electric flying site to the left, then over the hill the main flying site at show-central, a third flying site on the lake, a fourth flying site midway down the full scale runway for helicopters, and a 5th site for 3D and extreme flight. There may have been more, but that's what I counted (people were flying foamies at various locations and night flying was done with a large spotlight shining over the lake and between the sites which was quite effective). I'm not sure where to start so I'll just jump in... some facts and memories.

Don Szczur

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We spend most of the time at the 3D line. This was an experience like I've never seen. When I showed up, RJ Gritter informed me (tounge in cheek) that I needed to first get over and dip the rudder in the 3D dipping pond before Iwas allowed to fly at the site. Did that which was a blast. The really had this site laid out well. The runway extends to the left into the pond and there is a flight station to which you can walk down and everything is arranged perfectly to "dip and fly". I understand that there were a few water 3D landings earlier in week, but all handled the challenge well while we were there. While I was talking, we noticed that Alan Snyder did a wingtip touch and go in the pond which was really unique. I've never been to a "huck fest" before but this was one party. Branwell maybe next year- you and Andrew B would eat this up. There were probably about 100 to 200 pilots on this site at any given time, maybe more. I was pilot number seven hundred and sixty something.Pat Hatness was pleased that therewere over 800totalregistered at the Joe Nall.

Joseph and Justin Chi were comparing notes between the different classes of helicopter competition (Justin) and different levels of IMAC competition (Joseph). Its a pretty cool video and they are friends now, hanging around together.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fM-7k9ZmE0

Don Szczur

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It was great seeing Barry Fink and Huri Higuchi. The first night we were there Yuri borrowed Barry's plane and oufitted it with some lights for night flying. Iunderstand this is a similar setup to what he did at the XFC last year. They got the lights in place just after 1 a.m and about 1:30 a.m. Yuri flew the plane in an extreme fashion. 90 percent of the pilots would not fly this way during the day yet he was doing it all the better at night with nothing other than lights. Attached link below shows the plane at the 3D site hanging around the pond. The music and karaoke until about 2:30 a.m., thenone of the other flying giants conducted a howling prop takeoff promptly at 5:45 the next morning to start up the next day of flying. Make that a wake up call ringtone!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYs9S...e=channel_page

On Friday night after the bar-b-que Yuri put on a night demo flight over the large lake which was probably the most impressive demonstration Ihave ever witnessed. Nothing short of extreme from Yuri.He had smoke on during this routine and was just amazing. It had extreme high energy portionsand 3D, ending bycovered half the lake with a layer of smoke while torque rolling. The zillion watt spotlight up at the hangar entracelit up the entire area for this demo. The sloping bank between the pond and hangar provided a natural stadium effect.

Don Szczur

My Feedback: (1)

It was great seeing Barry Fink and Huri Higuchi. The first night we were there Yuri borrowed Barry's plane and oufitted it with some lights for night flying. Iunderstand this is a similar setup to what he did at the XFC last year. They got the lights in place just after 1 a.m and about 1:30 a.m. Yuri flew the plane in an extreme fashion. 90 percent of the pilots would not fly this way during the day yet he was doing it all the better at night with nothing other than lights. Attached link below shows the plane at the 3D site hanging around the pond. The music and karaoke until about 2:30 a.m., thenone of the other flying giants conducted a howling prop takeoff promptly at 5:45 the next morning to start up the next day of flying. Make that a wake up call ringtone!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYs9S...e=channel_page

On Friday night after the bar-b-que Yuri put on a night demo flight over the large lake which was probably the most impressive demonstration Ihave ever witnessed. Nothing short of extreme from Yuri.He had smoke on during this routine and was just amazing. It had extreme high energy portionsand 3D, ending bycovered half the lake with a layer of smoke while torque rolling. The zillion watt spotlight up at the hangar entracelit up the entire area for this demo. The sloping bank between the pond and hangar provided a natural stadium effect.

Don Szczur

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We went up to the main flying area and flew there on Saturday. The .72 mhz frequency board was practically unused. I counted only 3cards representing pilotsflying non- 2.5 Ghz systems. Thathas absolutely shifted from severalyears ago when you saw hundredsupon hundredsof transmitters stacked up in the impound area. This year I saw no impound area at all.

The other attached picture Itook from the electric flying site. These three pilots soloed at the Joe Nall. The expression on their faces show everything about what this event represents. Awesome.

Don Szczur

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For the kids, this one Icould not miss. Snoopy's slingshot and aiming site, and the plane controlled by a Spektrum receiver.

Don Szczur

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Back up at show central, the new Horizon Hobby Beast biplane was really awesome. Iwas talking to thepilot about the differences in flying the plane since the propellor turns opposite of many conventional planes. He has to use a lot of "left" rudder to counteract the torque on the engine. His demos with QuiQue were well choreographed and reflected well on the design. Frank Noll and Matt Chapman also did an impressive full scale-model formation flight which was perfectly timed. Then later, Iloved itwhenFrank began teasing Matt during the slow roll contest (to see who could do a longer slow roll, Quique or Matt). The crowd cheer clearly favored Matt, but Frank kept telling Matt that the crowd was favoring Quique. Matt kept coming back with "OK, one more competition- torque roll competition". Frank had Matt's leg pulled on that one. The crowd loved in and cheered wildly when Matt wrung out the Eagle 580 during torque roll.

Don Szczur

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Picture of the Horizon Hobby Beast. Very slick finish on the plane.

MetallicaJunkie

Thanks for the coverage, it was great, i just discovered your blog in the club house section of the event coverage